Cushion fit cap



Jam. 7, i936.. D, M, GRAY Er AL I 2,026,889

CUSHION FIT CAP Filed Dec. 20, 1932 Suma/VMS' azeZ-M GT2/wg Jaim diPatented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES CUSHION FIT CAP Daniel M. Gray andJohn J. Williams, Wheeling,

W. Va., assignors to Hazel-Atlas Glass Company, Wheeling, W. Va., acorporation of West Virginia Application December zo, 1982, serial No.648,124

3 Claims.

It is well known that when ordinary screw caps are screwed into sealingposition, the rotation is stopped abruptly. rPhat is, there is not agradual increase in the resistance offered to fur- 5 ther rotation.Likewise, when the caps are unscrewed they are abruptly loosened, asdistinguished from a. gradual decrease in the resistance.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a cap by whichthere is a gradual increase in resistance to tightening over a veryconsiderable number of degrees of rotation of the cap. In other words,the maximum amount of resistance is reached gradually as contrasted tthe screw caps of the prior'art in which the maX- imum point is reachedin a Very small number of degrees of rotation of the cap, after initialresistance is encountered. This is basically new, and constitutes animprovement of the greatest importance in caps which are secured inposition by a rotary movement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cap which ismore easily removed, due to the fact that the resistance to turning isgradually decreased, as distinguished from the abrupt loosening whichoccurs in the operation of previously known caps.

A further object of the invention is to provide, with this cushioneffect, a better sealing than has been possible heretofore.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art, from the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the cap and liner mountedloosely on a receptacle, and ready to be turned to sealing position; and

Figure 2 isa similar but fragmentary View, on an enlarged scale, andshowing in dotted outline positions assumed by the liner as the cap isturned to sealing position.

Referring to the drawing in more detail, numeral l indicates the neck ofany desired receptacle, provided with the usual thread nish 2. The capis referred to generally by the numeral 3, and has the usual dependingthreaded skirt 4. Y

Numeral 5 indicates a flat annular portion forming the top of thesealing groove 6, and this 50 flat portion is, in the preferredconstruction, connected with the skirt by means of an annular inwardlyprojecting shoulder 'l.

A wall 8, forming the inner boundary of the sealing groove, extendsdownwardly from the 55 inner edge of the annular flat portion 5, andthis wall terminates in a downwardly projecting head 9, which connectswith a central depressed portion It. In the specific form of theinvention illustrated the central depressed portion l0 is in a lowerplane than the shoulder l, and the bead 9 is in a lower-plane thaneither the shoulder 'l or the central depressed portion l0.

The liner is referred to by numeral ll, and is arranged in the cap inthe usual manner. This liner is preferably of a material which has moreor less resilience and resistance to bending, so that there is retaineda tendency to return to its original shape after being deformed; asdistinguished from a more or less pliable or flexible material such ascork which largely retains a deformed shape. While a liner having moreorless resilience and resistance to bending is preferably employed, yetthe invention is in no manner limited to liners of any particularmaterial, but contemplates `the use of any desired liner.

The preferred construction of the cap will be understood from theforegoing detailed description, and a brief description will now begiven of the manner in which the highly desirable cushion-fit effeet'isproduced; reference being had particuiarly to Figure 2 which showsseveral stages of the operation.`

When the cap is iirst loosely applied to the container'the parts are insubstantially the positions shown in full lines. The cap is now rotated,whereby the threads cause it to move downwardly. The rst effect of thisdownward movement is that the liner offers some resistance to thedownward movement of the bead 9, and a slight increase in pressureovercomes this resistance, and causes the annular peripheral portion ofthe liner to be sprung upwardly, to somewhat the position shown in thedotted lines referred to by numeral I2. It will be noted that the liner,after being forced to the position indicated, engages the shoulder l. Itis apparent that in this position further resistance is offered, as thisperipheral portion of the liner must now be deformed. As the downwardmovement of the cap proceeds, due to the continued rotation thereof, thebead 9 tends to further force the peripheral portion of the linerupwardly, and the shoulder 'l is at the same time forcing this portiondownwardly, so that a continuous, smooth, gradually increasingresistance is built up to the maximum point, where the cap and liner arein sealing position; the deformed shape of the liner being illustratedby the dotted lines referred to by numeral I3. There is thus produced anentirely new effect and result in this art, the desirability of whichcannot be over-emphasized. I-Ieretofore, the caps turned loosely untilthey approached the sealing position, and then within an extremely fewdegrees of rotation the maximum degree of resistance was reached and thecap was brought to a stop with a very distinct abruptness. There is thusproduced neither the best seal nor the feel of the best seal. It is onlywhen the resistance is gradually built up over a considerable number oidegrees of rotation that the best seal and the best feel of a. properseal are produced.

While the most material feature of the present invention resides in thecushion-fit effect provided in the sealing operation, yet it is also ofvery consider-able importance in the removal of the caps, for the actionis to some extent the reverse. In the removal of screw caps it is wellknown that when suflicient force is applied the cap is released withgreat suddenness, and thereafter turns quite freely. The cap oi thepresent invention is released gradually, as distinguished from thesudden release oi the prior known caps, and as the release is gradual itfollows that it does not require as much force to release the cap. Easeof removal is one of the features of this invention. It should also bementioned 'that the cap may be removed and replaced `many times, withoutthe cushion-fit efect being lost,

vthough it is obvious that there will be some with which the cap isremove-d., constitute the major features of the invention; yet the capdoes possess other advantages. For instance, in the specic formillustrated, the strength and rigidity of the cap are considerablyincreased by means of the bead l and shoulder 'L Also, the seal isrendered more eiective by the fact that the liner is turned downslightly at both the inner and outer edge of the neck of the container.This particuiarly takes care of any irregularities occurring in theglass nish and any warping of the cap. Numerous other advantages will beapparent to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that while a specific form of the invention isshown and described herein, yet obviously many changes and modicationsmay be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and allsuch changes and modifications are intended to be included Within thescope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A closure for containers including a top and a threaded skirt, aliner within the closure, an 5 annular downwardly projecting bead formedin the top of the closure and of a smaller diameter than the innerdiameter of the mouth of the container, and an annular downwardlyprojecting shoulder in the top of the closure and of a diameter greaterthan the outer diameter of the mouth of the container, the bottom of thebead being in a lower plane than the shoulder, whereby the bead firstengages the liner to force an outer annular portion of the linerupwardly l5 against said shoulder.

2. A closure for containers including a top and a threaded skirt, aliner within the closure, a central depressed portion formed in the topof the closure, an annular bead projecting down- Wardly from theperiphery of the depressed portion and of a diameter less than the innerdiameter of the mouth of the container, and an annular downwardlyprojecting shoulder in the top of the closure and of a diameter greaterthan the outer diameter of the mouth of the container, the centraldepressed portion of the top being in a lower plane than said shoulder,and the bead being in a lower plane than either the shoulder or thedepressed portion, whereby a cushion-fit effect is produced when theclosure is turned to sealing position.

3. A closure for containers including a top and a depending skirt, meansprovided in the skirt for locking the closure to a container byrotation, a liner Within the closure, said liner being materiallyresistant to bending, an annular downwardly projecting bead formed inthe top of the closure and of a smaller diameter than the inner diameterof the mouth of the container, and an annular downwardly projectingshoulder in the top of the closure and of a diameter greater thantheouter diameter of the mouth of the container, the annular beadforcing an outer annular portion of the liner upwardly against theshoulder and the shoulder forcing the outer annular portion of the linerdownwardly as the cap is moved downwardly into sealing position.

DANIEL M. GRAY.

JOHN J. WILLIAMS.

